2. Louisville, CO

A two-time no.1, Louisville comes in strong yet again. It’s a great place to raise a family, with well-regarded schools and a safe community.

Louisville’s housing market has been on the rise since 2008, and its place in the technology-rich Denver-Boulder corridor has kept the job outlook solid, despite recent setbacks like Phillips 66 pulling the plug on a much-anticipated renewable-energy campus.

Locals say the work-life balance in Louisville is hard to beat. Come summer, residents can look forward to weekly events featuring food trucks from local restaurants, beer gardens, live music and much more. Then there’s the Colorado sunshine, 1,800 acres of open space, and, of course, the Rocky Mountains, just a 20-minute drive away.

–Pieter Van Noordennen

Louisville, CO

Town stats

Median family income (per year)

$104,321

Job growth % (2010-2012)

6.35%

Median home price (2012)

$368,110

Reading test scores (% above/below average)

29.8%

Math test scores (% above/below average)

35.2%

Personal crime incidents (per 1,000)

1

Property crime incidents (per 1,000)

13

Financials

Median family income (per year)

$104,321

Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted)

$101,184

Sales tax

8.30%

State income tax rate (highest bracket)

4.63%I

State income tax rate (lowest bracket)

4.63%I

Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state)

$1,543

Job growth % (2010-2012)

6.35%

Housing

Median home price (2012)

$368,110

Average property taxes (2012)

$2,383

Education

Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles)

37

Reading test scores (% above/below state average)

29.8%

Test scores math (% above/below average)

35.2%

% students attending public/private schools (located within town limits)